JACKSON, MI – Two semi-trucks collided on U.S. 127 just after noon Tuesday, March 12, causing a small fire but no injuries.

Firefighters from the Summit Township Fire Department, Jackson Community Ambulance rescuers and officers from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded about 12:10 p.m. No injuries were reported.

Michael Peacock, who has been driving for his trucking company in Illinois since 2003, said he was attempting to cross U.S. 127 on Floyd Avenue when another semi-truck hit his truck near the middle of Peacock’s trailer.

“I didn’t even see him coming,” Peacock said. “I just heard him screeching and the next thing I know my head is going back and I’m on the side of the road. It was pretty loud and pretty scary.”

Peacock said he was on his way to pick up steel from Worthington Specialty Processing at the time of the accident. He said he has never been involved in any automobile accident in his life.

Both trucks ended up on the side of the small highway. Peacock said a small fire started in the engine of his truck, but he was able to use a fire extinguisher to put it out before Summit Township Fire crews arrived.

“This could have been a lot worse,” Summit Fire Captain Brian Ledford said. “We didn’t see any smoke or anything when we got here so that was a good sign. These were two big trucks that could have caused a lot more damage.”

Traffic was slowed slightly but not stopped in both the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. 127 as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.

“I wouldn’t say the driver that hit the driver trying to cross the highway was going at a high rate of speed,” Jackson County Sheriff's Sgt. Tommy Schuette said. “Someone could have gotten hurt, and luckily no one did.”